EU to honor veterans with military ceremony, annual service event

The Edinboro University ROTC and Veterans Success Center will mark Veterans Day on Friday, Nov. 11, with a solemn community observance followed by a day of service by the University’s student veterans.

At 11 a.m., the Edinboro University ROTC Honor Guard will conduct a three-volley salute and Flag-Folding Ceremony on the front lawn of Reeder Hall, located at 219 Meadville St. on the Edinboro campus. Immediately following the military observance, President H. Fred Walker and Lt. Col. Marc Beckage, professor of military science, will speak on the importance of Veterans Day, the contributions of the Fighting Scots Battalion and the importance of veterans on campus and in our communities.

Guest speaker Sgt. 1st Class Nathaniel Wilson, a Veteran student, will then speak about the importance of family in the military and as a veteran. A reception will follow in the lobby of Reeder Hall.

The Veterans Day observance will be followed by the third annual Pets and Vets event, hosted by the Edinboro University Student Veterans Association. The pet adoption and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) awareness fair will be held in the gymnasium of the Frank G. Pogue Student Center through 3 p.m.

Pets for Vets is dedicated to rescuing, training, and pairing shelter pets as companions for veterans. Shelter animals in need of new homes will be available, and applications will be accepted for those wishing to adopt.

All student organizations, university employees, local veterans and members of the community are invited to participate in the pet adoption fair and may donate items that will be used to assemble “New Pet Starter Kits.” The kits will include items needed by new pet owners, including pet dishes and bowls (stainless steel is best; no plastic, please), pet treats and toys, leashes and collars, blankets and towels, and litter and litter boxes.

Donations of supplies, such as large black trash bags, dishwasher soap, laundry soap, bleach and other cleaning products, also will be accepted to benefit local shelter and rescue agencies.

Edinboro University’s Veterans Success Center serves as a one-stop resource for the needs of student veterans and military family members. The center provides study space, computers, as well as access to campus and off-campus resources and GI Bill® benefit programs.

For more information on Veterans Day events at Edinboro University, call (814) 732-1568 or email veterans@edinboro.edu.